Elevating Overman is a funny and painful story of redemption that explores the complex ramifications of what it means to get a second chance.

Elevating Overman: A Novel

by Bruce Ferber

This hilarious and painful novel of redemption follows the journey of Ira Overman, veteran of multiple botched careers and a singularly botched marriage, as he makes one last attempt to rise above the guilt, weakness, and self-hatred that have been hardwired into his soul since birth. Through an unlikely side effect from an otherwise routine surgery, Overman finds himself revisiting and confronting the uniformly poor choices of his past and making sense of a world he has never known how to negotiate. The ex-New Yorker and transplanted Angeleno decides to bestow his newfound gifts from coast to coast, earning unprecedented respect from his son and daughter and the ferocious envy of his best friend.

Ultimately, Elevating Overman speaks to us about righting some of our wrongs, letting others go, and most importantly, gaining a small yet significant insight into a life that matters.

Elevating Overman is about a middle-aged Jewish guy who gets a second chance in life. It is what he does with this second chance that “elevates” Overman. Now unlike Ira Overman, I am a Gentile. But like Ira Overman, I was given the gift of a second chance and elevate me, it did! My second chance in life gave me the opportunity to befriend the author. Bruce Ferber was our head writer on Home Improvement, and albeit a short man, he is a very clever, insightful and funny fellow indeed. That alone gives me the confidence to say, ‘Congratulations, Bruce—you’ve done it again.’

Bruce Ferber is an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated comedy writer and producer whose credits include Bosom Buddies;Growing Pains;Sabrina, The Teenage Witch;Coach; and Home Improvement, where he served as executive producer and showrunner. In addition to being recognized by the Television Academy, his work has received the People's Choice, Kid's Choice, and Environmental Media Awards. Ferber lives in Southern California, with his wife, children, large dog, and assorted musical instruments.

In Elevating Overman, Bruce Ferber has achieved the highly unusual—a first novel that glows with sharp, but unpredictable insight. Ira Overman confidently joins a long literary line of middle-aged anti-heroes who have been knocked down and have to learn how to walk all over again. But before Overman can learn to walk, he must attempt to fly. And see through women’s clothes all the way to their souls. And travel through time. Ferber’s triumph is that it’s funny because it’s true.